What We Look at During a Site Survey, and Why It Matters

Before we draw anything, we carry out a proper measured survey of your property. It’s not the most exciting part of the process, but it’s the part that determines whether the drawings that follow are actually accurate.

What we’re actually measuring

Room dimensions, ceiling heights, wall thicknesses, window and door positions, and the levels of the existing floors and garden. On older properties, walls are rarely perfectly straight or square, and getting the real measurements avoids nasty surprises once construction starts.

What’s underground and overhead

Drainage runs, manholes and overhead cables can all affect what’s possible with an extension, particularly where they cross the area you want to build on. We check for these early, since moving a drain run part way through a project is expensive and avoidable with proper planning.

Why this matters for planning too

Accurate existing drawings are also what planning officers and building control expect to see alongside your proposed drawings. Inaccurate surveys are one of the more common reasons for delays further down the line.

It’s a couple of hours well spent at the start of a project. Get in touch if you’re ready to book a survey for your extension, loft conversion or new build.